Four statutory clocks start the day you land: 5 days to register, 3 months for the TB test, 4 months for health insurance, and 4 months to lock in the 30% ruling retroactively.
Overview
Your first month in the Netherlands is governed by four statutory clocks. Within 5 days of arrival you must register in the Personal Records Database (Basisregistratie Personen, BRP) at your municipality (gemeente) if you are staying more than four months — registration generates your citizen service number (BSN), without which almost nothing else works: no DigiD, no bank account at most banks, no payroll, no health insurance, no benefits. Within 3 months, nationals of countries not on the IND's exemption list must take a tuberculosis test at the municipal health service (GGD). Within 4 months of arrival you must take out Dutch basic health insurance (zorgverzekering) — do it inside that window and cover applies retroactively; miss it and the CAK fines you €529.74 per enforcement round. And within 4 months of your first working day the 30% ruling application must be filed for it to apply retroactively from day one. The sections below sequence those obligations week by week. Verified against government.nl, ind.nl, hetcak.nl, rdw.nl and belastingdienst.nl as of June 2026.
The Statutory Clocks
| Deadline | Obligation | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| 5 days from arrival | Register in the BRP at your gemeente (appointment usually required; family members attend in person); the BSN is issued at registration | Gemeente |
| After IND notification | Collect your residence document at an IND desk (book an appointment) | IND |
| 3 months from the permit | TB test at the GGD — unless your nationality is on exemption appendix 7644; the signed GGD form must reach the IND within the 3 months | GGD / IND |
| 4 months from arrival | Take out basic health insurance; within the window the cover (and premium) applies retroactively | Any Dutch health insurer; the CAK enforces |
| 4 months from first working day | 30% ruling application for full retroactive effect — file later and it only starts the month after filing | Belastingdienst |
| 185 days | Most non-EU/EFTA driving licences stop being valid for residents — exchange or pass Dutch exams before the window closes | RDW / gemeente / CBR |
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See Paid Plans →Frequently Asked Questions
What should I prepare before arrival to make the gemeente registration painless?
Book the registration appointment before you travel — most municipalities work on appointment only and the 5-day statutory window is short. Bring your passport, MVV or residence endorsement, your rental contract or other proof of address, and your civil-status documents (birth certificate, marriage certificate) already apostilled or legalised in the issuing country, with sworn translations where they are not in Dutch, English, French or German. Family members registering with you must attend in person. The BSN is issued at the appointment, and everything else in your first month depends on it.
I'm staying less than four months — do I still have to register?
Not in the BRP. Short-stayers register in the Non-residents Records Database (Registratie Niet-Ingezetenen, RNI) at one of the designated RNI municipalities, which also issues a BSN — enough for payroll and tax. The 5-day BRP rule applies to anyone staying more than four months. If your plans change and you stay on, you must convert to a full BRP registration at the gemeente where you live; your BSN stays the same. Note that an RNI registration does not give you a registered Dutch address, which some services (and most banks' standard onboarding) expect.
How does the 4-month health insurance window actually work?
Dutch basic health insurance is compulsory from the day your insurance obligation starts (for most workers, the day you start living or working here). You have 4 months to take out a policy; do so within that window and both the cover and the premium apply retroactively, so delaying saves nothing and risks everything. After 4 months there is no retroactive cover for care you already received. The CAK polices the register: first a letter, then a €529.74 fine, a second €529.74 fine three months later, and ultimately the CAK can sign you up with an insurer itself.
When do I need to deal with the TB test?
Within 3 months of receiving your residence permit — and only if your nationality is not on the IND's exemption list (appendix 7644, which covers 130+ countries including all EU states, the US, UK, China and Brazil; nationals of e.g. India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Pakistan, Nigeria and South Africa are not exempt and must test). You will already have signed a declaration of intent with your application. Book the test at the GGD for your region; the GGD signs the referral form and it must reach the IND within the 3-month window.
Can I open a bank account before I have a BSN?
Usually not at the major banks — most ask for a BSN at account opening, which is why the gemeente appointment is the critical path of your first month. If your registration appointment is late in the window, ask your employer how the first payroll run will be handled and whether a foreign SEPA account can bridge the gap. Once you have the BSN, opening an account is quick; you will typically also need your passport and Dutch address. DigiD, health insurance and toeslagen all chain off the same BSN, so unblock it first.
How long can I keep driving on my foreign licence?
EU/EFTA licences: until they expire, no exchange needed. Most other licences: 185 days from becoming resident — and the RDW is explicit that once the 185 days have passed you may no longer drive, even if your exchange application is already pending. Exchange happens at your gemeente (photo, licence, and for most non-EU licences the 30%-ruling evidence where applicable). If you hold the 30% ruling you may exchange a licence from any country; otherwise only licences from countries on the RDW list qualify, and everyone else takes CBR theory and practical exams.